Deluded Serie A

Serie A has always had problems, but since Calciopoli, it seems like they just cannot get it together. They focus on ridiculous things, like commissioning an anthem for the league three years ago that is meant to help curb corruption. Because songs totally curb corruption, right? In addition to that ridiculous irony, it was written in three languages: Latin, Italian, and English. Do you think most footballers speak those three languages? And I don’t know about the other languages, but the English is not great. So fitting for a league that is so intrinsically corrupt and self-destructive. But also so deluded at the same time.

Hooray for matchfixing!

Parma were promoted back to Serie A this season, which was great for opposition fans who remember the glory days of the original club. You know, the great Parma of the 1990's, before the bankruptcy? I don’t follow other big European leagues enough to know for sure, but it seems like Serie A has a lot more financial problems, too. But that wasn’t even the controversy this year for Parma. This year, it was WhatsApp messages from a Parma player to two Spezia players asking them to go easy when they faced off in the game that won Parma promotion. You know, match fixing? That could have seen them relegated back to Serie B. But the courts instead ordered a five point deduction. And that was overturned by the FIGC’s board of appeal. So match fixing, no big deal. It's become the norm.

Chievo was accused of false accounting transfers of 30 players with Cesena. That's 30. It is reported that some of the transfers were inflated up to 9,000 per cent. 9,000 per cent. All of this, of course gave them a financial advantage in their accounts. They absolutely should have been relegated. But they, too, got to stay in Serie A, with only a three points deduction. A mere slap on the wrist. Literally, how is this allowed?

Those aren't ballboys, people

As if the misconduct off the pitch were not bad enough, Frosinone were promoted in a two-legged playoff with Palermo in which Frosinone players and staff threw multiple balls on the pitch in order to disrupt play in the second leg. Seriously? Some have called it poor sportsmanship, but I call it cheating. There were also multiple ref calls in question, too, but Frosinone eventually won. Palermo filed complaints and appealed to the end of the appeals, but Frosinone are still in Serie A this season. Unbelievable.

But don’t worry: Serie A are tackling the important issues. Like captain’s armbands, for example. This season, they created a new rule that all captains would have to wear the same, Serie A-issued and approved armband. Because when you have teams that match fix, commit fraud, and cheat, this is the kind of issue that people want addressed. No more of Papu Gomez’ cool armbands that changed from week to week with different images from pop culture. And at first, it seemed that they would also ban Fiorentina’s tribute to their fallen captain, Astori, who passed away just this past March. But luckily, they took time away from ignoring the cheating and match-fixing to approve that one. They are only almost that heartless.

Inspired.

I really don’t know what to say. I could cite dozens of incidents where Serie A has turned a blind eye to actual corruption and then focused on developing, say, a new logo that looks like a man with a big hat and mustache. But at the end of the day, it never changes. And don’t get me started on the problems with Serie B this season, either. When football is played more in the courts than on the pitch, you are doing something wrong. Very wrong. They so often turn a blind eye to the problems that keep the league stranded in the mire which they themselves have created, that it will be amazing if the league ever comes close to getting back to what it used to be. But when you can barely elect a president or agree on anything but armbands, it’s not surprising that the moral character goes missing completely and priorities turn upside down. It’s all part of the deluded Serie A.

This post inspired by the music of Giovanni Allevi’s “O Generosa”

Our next match will be

Serie A Week 9

il Derby della Madonnina

Inter vs. Milan

Sunday, October 21 • 20:30 CEST (2:30pm EDT)